Shadows of the Redwood - By Gillian Summers Page 0,75

men. Maybe you can stop by later before you go to sleep. I wish you’d told me about the bonfire.”

“You mean instead of sharing it with Risa?” He grinned and turned to the elf girl, who was smiling at them expectantly. “Who told you about the bonfire? Was it Bromliel?”

Risa stomped her foot, whirled and walked away.

“I didn’t tell you because I forgot, Keelie. Somehow other things come to mind when we’re together.” He lifted Keelie’s hand to his lips. “I’ll be there tonight. Can we take a walk alone?”

Keelie smiled. “Yes.” She imagined walking alone with Sean, undisturbed. No fairy trickster coyotes to chase them through the woods, no needy grandparent or duties to perform. They would talk. She could tell him about being a tree shepherd, and he could talk about what it was like training his jousters. And they could discuss their past, and their future.

Tavyn strode forward. “Keelie, your truck’s parked outside.” He handed her the keys.

Keelie walked past Risa as she helped Grandmother toward the exit. She leaned close to the elf girl. “Watch out for the sea lions. I hear they love redheads.”

“We’re not going to the tree house,” Grandmother announced as they climbed into Dad’s battered truck. “We need to go deep into the Redwood Forest.”

“No we don’t. We’re going to the elven village. You need to rest. You passed out.”

“Do not contradict me.” Grandmother put on her stern Lady-of-the-Forest voice.

“We’re going home,” Keelie said matter-of-factly. “You need to rest. There is no way I’m going to let you go into the forest tonight.”

“I told Bella Matera that we’d meet her there.”

“If Dad were here, he’d tell you the same thing.” Keelie was tired of putting the trees’ needs ahead of her health and safety, and the health and safety of those that she loved. If she didn’t take care of Grandmother and herself, then there would be no one to take care of the trees.

“I am here on a mission, as are you. If we hide in the elven village, we may doom this forest.” Grandmother frowned. “You have taken risks before, Keelie. What makes you cautious now? We must go.”

“Maybe it’s just scarier in this place,” Keelie snorted. “I can’t believe you still want to go into that forest! Can you tell me what happened on that stage? Whose voice was that? And why couldn’t my fairy magic heal you?”

Grandmother’s expression softened. “You summoned fae magic to help me? Oh my dear.” She touched Keelie’s face with her hand. “Thank you. It didn’t work because I was shielding against the tree magic, and yours was too similar.”

“So you’re afraid of Bloodroot, too,” Keelie said.

Grandmother leaned her head to one side. “I felt someone calling me. He needed me. He was asking for help. He also warned me of danger.”

“I heard the same voice,” Keelie said. “But I was able to block it.”

Grandmother looked interested. “How do you do that?”

“I use a combination of Earth and fairy magic.”

“Then I cannot wield it.”

“Maybe not the fairy magic, but you can talk to Sir Davey. I use rose quartz to call on Earth magic. It helps block out the trees.”

Sighing, Grandmother looked out the passenger-side window, then turned her head. “The trees still need me. I feel needed here. These past few months with Zeke taking over the forest, I’ve felt useless.”

Keelie was silent. Her grandmother had seemed lost since Dad had taken over the Dread Forest. “If you’re going to help the trees, you have to find the balance,” she said finally. That was the key to the Dread Forest. It was finding a balance between the light and the dark.

Keelie watched Grandmother out of the corner of her eye as the old woman sank deeper into the seat cushion. She seemed so fragile. Keelie didn’t know if Grandmother was strong enough to deal with the trees. If she still couldn’t reach Dad, she’d have to talk to Sir Davey. If nothing else, she’d find a crystal so that Grandmother could use earth magic as a barrier against the tree magic.

She parked the truck, and was grateful to see Kalix waiting for them. He carried Grandmother to Wena. Sariela and Keelie helped Grandmother to bed, and there was no more talk about going into the forest. Reason had won the night.

Keelie sat down in the dark. She had to think things through. All of this had started with the Redwood Tree Shepherd, who was still missing. The elves had asked for help in